Iphone 4s in AT&T Stores - when?

Hi everyone. I expect to be flamed for this, my first post on macrumors forum, but I am in a fairly unique situation and I need some help. I am tired of calling AT&T stores everyday to hear the same answer (not that I call EVERY day, but you get the idea). Anyway, I am a long time ATT customer. My contract (a family plan with my wife) is eligible for full upgrade on 9/26/2010. My wife and I both turned 30 in July and our families got together and bought us enough ATT gift cards to get 2 32GB Iphone 4s and accessories. Totally awesome gift. Here is the problem.

I learned about the potential for early exception upgrades through various google searches and what not. I understand that they can only be requested and approved in AT&T corporate stores. So on July 16th, I went into the closest store in my area, not expecting a whole heckuva a lot. Especially since I was about 72 days or so from full upgrade eligibility. At first, the rep I spoke to was even reluctant to try to see if I could get an exception. He said it only usually gets approved when you are within 30 days. He said to come back in August when I was closer to eligibility. I almost said ok. But I asked him to try anyway and see. So he did that for me and sent me home as he did not expect to get an answer until the next Monday (the 16th was a Friday). Lo and behold, 15 minutes I get the call that both lines were approved for the exception. Great! So what's the problem? The freaking gift cards!!! The phones have to be in stock at the store, so I can't just order them and wait like everyone else. I have to wait until the suckers are in stock - which to me is even worse than seeing a "backorder" notice on my order screen on the website. I have been calling every week but to no avail. I hear apple stores are getting them in for walkins now, but no such luck at ATT. So my question is, can someone who might be in the know out there that reads these forums let me know when the iphone 4s might finally be stocked at ATT stores? It would really help so I can stop obsessing over checking for news articles for stock coming to ATT stores and I don't have to call every other day to my local ATT store to get the same answer! Your help is appreciated!!!

IDK about your area, but supposedly they had them in Fairfax, VA stores.

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That's cool. I am in Philly, PA and so far the 3 near me havent had them since launch. They keep saying "maybe next week - we havent been given a date yet" but each week, I get the same answer. It's just tiring. I am surprised stock hasn't caught up yet in all honesty. Just wish they hadn't got the gift cards, because I could have them in hand already.

That's cool. I am in Philly, PA and so far the 3 near me havent had them since launch. They keep saying "maybe next week - we havent been given a date yet" but each week, I get the same answer. It's just tiring. I am surprised stock hasn't caught up yet in all honesty. Just wish they hadn't got the gift cards, because I could have them in hand already.

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I'm in NE Philly area, and my AT&T store reps said it would be quite a while before they would get any in stock, which is why I ordered it through the store, instead of waiting.

A couple of things to try. A prepaid credit card, go get a pre loaded credit card for the amount of the gift cards and order the darn phone. Go to any of the Apple stores or any ATT store even outside your state/ county. The iPhone is in demand but the supply is catching up. Don't feel your locked in to the one store, once you are approved, that approval is valid for any iPhone purchased at any location. Good Luck..

A couple of things to try. A prepaid credit card, go get a pre loaded credit card for the amount of the gift cards and order the darn phone. Go to any of the Apple stores or any ATT store even outside your state/ county. The iPhone is in demand but the supply is catching up. Don't feel your locked in to the one store, once you are approved, that approval is valid for any iPhone purchased at any location. Good Luck..

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I think I am locked into just the one store. The exception upgrade (70 days early) plus the AT&T gift cards pretty much say so. I try to order online and it says I am not eligible until 9/26/10 - probably because exception upgrades are only possible in corporate stores.

how can I buy a prepaid credit card using AT&T gift cards? You lost me on that one. Also - we have $800 in gift cards because both my wife and I turned 30 in July and our families and friends all got together for the one gift... It says on the cards that they cannot be used for bill, which is why I haven't gone that route. The guy at the counter suggested that I just use it on accessories and I almost laughed in his face...

Unless you are locked into getting it from the AT&T Store....I picked one up today at the local Best Buy and the guy said today at a good chunk of their stores got a shipment of iPhones in this morning.

You are eligible for early upgrade once, immediately after you purchased your previous phone. So, you purchased on 03/26/2008, on 03/27/2008 you were eligible to pay the extra $200 to upgrade early.

You only get to do this once.

With that, why not wait another month and a half and get it at the subsidized price? Particularly since you are struggling to find them anyway. That way, you don't waste your early upgrade and come June of next year, you can use what's left on those cards and get iPhone 5 really early.

You are eligible for early upgrade once, immediately after you purchased your previous phone. So, you purchased on 03/26/2008, on 03/27/2008 you were eligible to pay the extra $200 to upgrade early.

You only get to do this once.

With that, why not wait another month and a half and get it at the subsidized price? Particularly since you are struggling to find them anyway. That way, you don't waste your early upgrade and come June of next year, you can use what's left on those cards and get iPhone 5 really early.

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I was told that I was able to upgrade at the $299 price for the 32GB version on 7/16 when I went into the store. Not the $499 price. I know about the $499 price, and I could just order them online if I wanted to do that. This is an exception upgrade, not an early one. And it is something you can only do in a corporate store.

Like I said in my original post, the ATT rep I talked to didn't even think it would be possible, but his manager approved it. I just couldn't use the gift cards to order them - they have to be in stock.

I was told that I was able to upgrade at the $299 price for the 32GB version on 7/16 when I went into the store. Not the $499 price. I know about the $499 price, and I could just order them online if I wanted to do that. This is an exception upgrade, not an early one. And it is something you can only do in a corporate store.

Like I said in my original post, the ATT rep I talked to didn't even think it would be possible, but his manager approved it. I just couldn't use the gift cards to order them - they have to be in stock.

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In that case, nevermind.

And, I'm shocked. Been an AT&T customer with $200+ mo/bill for 5 years now. Went in 12 days early because we were going on a business trip for 3G for my wife a year ago and we were told to pound sand.

And, I'm shocked. Been an AT&T customer with $200+ mo/bill for 5 years now. Went in 12 days early because we were going on a business trip for 3G for my wife a year ago and we were told to pound sand.

So, I guess I would call them every day. lol.

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Back when the iphone was a new product, you couldn't do it I don't think. I read many a thread where people looking to get an iphone or iphone 3G couldn't do it. Apparently the 3GS and 4 are different. I don't know. I am coming from a RAZR2 and my wife is coming from a RAZR. Our last upgrade phones sucked so bad we went back to the tried and true RAZR family. Our bill never goes over $100 for our dumbphone family plan... Anyway...

Like I said, even the rep I worked with was basically telling me I had no shot but I kindly and persistantly asked him to try for me. I have been an ATT customer for 10 years now. Maybe that worked in my favor, maybe it didnt... Maybe they saw my birthday was coming up soon, or that I never missed a payment - I have no idea. It was a nice feeling to get that call. But because he didn't know I was going to use gift cards, he didn't tell me I couldn't do it until I came back to the store and whipped them out. He was ringing them up separately and asked for the $299 plus tax. I pulled out the gift cards and he told me the policy on them, which apparently has been around for a long time. Would have been nice to know! Or it would have been nice for the family to give us cash!

Well BillyCuth I'm in a similar boat as you in that I'm tied down to one store and have to wait for the phone to be in stock to purchase it. I called today and asked them when they expected to have walk in purchases available, the guy told me sometime next week but that was subject to change. This was in Northern Virginia by the way. If your hear anything let us know.

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